U.S. patent number 8,764,330 [Application Number 13/318,374] was granted by the patent office on 2014-07-01 for pencil, in particular a cosmetic pencil.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Schwan-STABILO Cosmetics GmbH & Co. KG. The grantee listed for this patent is Reinhard Bauer, Lutz Braeuer, Rainer Gaebler, Norbert Poetschl, Andreas Weber, Clemens Wiesmann. Invention is credited to Reinhard Bauer, Lutz Braeuer, Rainer Gaebler, Norbert Poetschl, Andreas Weber, Clemens Wiesmann.
United States Patent |
8,764,330 |
Bauer , et al. |
July 1, 2014 |
Pencil, in particular a cosmetic pencil
Abstract
A pencil, in particular a cosmetic pencil, comprising a
cartridge, a lead held such that it can move axially relative to
the cartridge, and a shaper for shaping the working end of the
lead. The pencil can adopt an operating state in which twisting of
the shaper relative to the lead and/or the cartridge in a first
angle of rotation section leads to axial displacement of the
cartridge relative to the lead in the direction away from the
shaper, and in a second angle of rotation section leads to axial
displacement of the lead in the direction towards the shaper.
Inventors: |
Bauer; Reinhard (Rosstal,
DE), Braeuer; Lutz (Igensdorf, DE),
Gaebler; Rainer (Uttenreuth, DE), Poetschl;
Norbert (Forchheim, DE), Weber; Andreas
(Heroldsberg, DE), Wiesmann; Clemens (Heroldsberg,
DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bauer; Reinhard
Braeuer; Lutz
Gaebler; Rainer
Poetschl; Norbert
Weber; Andreas
Wiesmann; Clemens |
Rosstal
Igensdorf
Uttenreuth
Forchheim
Heroldsberg
Heroldsberg |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Schwan-STABILO Cosmetics GmbH &
Co. KG (Heroldsberg, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
42937394 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/318,374 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2010 |
PCT
Filed: |
August 02, 2010 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2010/004721 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
November 01, 2011 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2011/020553 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
February 24, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120045267 A1 |
Feb 23, 2012 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
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Aug 17, 2009 [DE] |
|
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20 2009 011 179 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
401/50;
401/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D
40/205 (20130101); A45D 2040/204 (20130101); A45D
2040/208 (20130101); A45D 2040/202 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B43K
29/06 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;401/50,51,65,66,67 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
59573 |
|
Nov 1981 |
|
DE |
|
19616613 |
|
Oct 1997 |
|
DE |
|
102007053786 |
|
Feb 2009 |
|
DE |
|
202007015726 |
|
Mar 2009 |
|
DE |
|
1209213 |
|
Feb 1960 |
|
FR |
|
63175517 |
|
Nov 1988 |
|
JP |
|
2002119330 |
|
Apr 2002 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Walczak; David
Assistant Examiner: Chiang; Jennifer C
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bachman & LaPointe, P.C.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A pencil comprising: a cartridge (12), a lead (24) located at
least partially within the cartridge and axially movable relative
thereto, a rotatable shaper (34) for shaping the working end of the
lead, wherein the pencil can adopt an operating state wherein
rotation of the shaper relative to the lead and/or the cartridge in
a first angle of rotation section leads to axial displacement of
the cartridge relative to the lead in a direction away from the
shaper, and in a second angle of rotation section leads to axial
displacement of the lead in a direction towards the shaper.
2. The pencil according to claim 1, wherein the twisting of the
shaper (34) relative to the lead (24) and/or the cartridge (12) in
the second angle of rotation leads to axial displacement of the
cartridge together with the lead towards the shaper.
3. The pencil according to claim 1, wherein the shaper (34) is
coupled in at least one operating state to the cartridge (12) by a
control curve (38).
4. The pencil according to claim 1, further including an elastic
device (40) for pre-tensioning the cartridge (12) and/or the lead
(24) in the direction towards the shaper (34).
5. The pencil according to claim 1, wherein the shaper (34) is
accommodated in a protector (14).
6. The pencil according to claim 5, wherein the protector (14) can
be screwed onto a shaft (10) of the pencil.
7. The pencil according to claim 6, wherein a pitch-free thread
turn (20) on the shaft (10) adjoins a thread turn (18) on the shaft
(10) serving to screw on the protector (14).
8. The pencil according to claim 5, wherein the shaper (34) is a
sharpener.
9. The pencil according to claim 1, wherein the axial displacement
of the cartridge (12) relative to the angle of twisting in the
first angle of rotation section is greater than the axial
displacement of the lead (24) relative to the angle of rotation in
the second angle of rotation section.
10. The pencil according to claim 1, further including a coupling
device (32) which enables axial displacement of the cartridge (12)
relative to the lead (24) in the direction away from the shaper
(34), but blocks displacement in the direction towards the
shaper.
11. The pencil according to claim 10, wherein the coupling device
(32) comprises a catch device coupling the cartridge (12) to a lead
plunger (26).
12. The pencil according to claim 1, wherein the pencil can adopt
an operating state wherein twisting of the shaper (34) relative to
the lead (24) and/or the cartridge (12) triggers an acoustic
signal.
13. The pencil according to claim 1, further including a collecting
container (42) for waste resulting from the shaping located in a
protector (14).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a pencil, in particular a cosmetic pencil,
comprising a cartridge, a lead held such that it can move axially
relative to the cartridge, and a shaper for shaping the working end
of the lead.
Pencils of the type specified at the start are known, for example
from U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,301. With the known pencil, when the
shaper is attached a taut spring, which in the released state
presses a lead carrier with a lead against the shaper, is released.
With the pencil according to DE 196 16 613 C1 the lead is pressed
by means of a spindle drive against the shaper, a sliding coupling
being provided in order to limit the force with which the lead is
pressed against the shaper.
The known pencils are not satisfactory, in particular with regard
to the result of the shaping by means of the shaper.
It is the object of the invention to further develop the pencil of
the type specified at the start such that it works satisfactorily,
in particular with regard to the result of the shaping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention the object set with a pencil of the type
specified at the start is achieved in that the pencil can adopt an
operating state in which twisting of the shaper relative to the
lead and/or the cartridge in a first angle of rotation section
leads to axial displacement of the cartridge relative to the lead
in the direction away from the shaper, and in a second angle of
rotation section leads to axial displacement of the lead in the
direction towards the shaper.
The pencil according to the invention is satisfactory, in
particular with regard to the shaping result. This can first and
foremost be put down to the fact that within the framework of the
solution according to the invention, in particular in the second
angle of rotation section, an exactly defined lead feed rate can be
specified precisely on the working side so that the feed rate of
the lead is harmonised with the shaping by means of the shaper, by
means of which excessive demands upon the lead are avoided.
It is preferred according to the invention if twisting of the
shaper relative to the lead and/or the cartridge in the second
angle of rotation section leads to axial displacement of the
cartridge together with the lead towards the shaper.
In this way it is achieved that the lead does not also have to be
shifted within the cartridge during the actual shaping. In this way
demands upon the lead are further reduced.
It is further preferred according to the invention if the shaper is
coupled in at least one operating state to the cartridge by means
of a control curve.
With this type of control curve the cartridge feed rate in
particular can be precisely specified when shaping.
Preferably, an elastic device is provided for pre-tensioning the
cartridge and/or the lead in the direction towards the shaper.
In this way a solution which is particularly simple from a
mechanical point of view is found.
According to the invention, it is further preferred if the shaper
is accommodated in a protector.
This solution also serves in particular to simplify the overall
structure of the pencil.
According to the invention it is preferred if the protector can be
screwed on, in particular onto a shaft of the pencil.
A screw connection guarantees particularly reliable attachment of
the protector (and optionally of the shaper).
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention a
pitch-free thread turn adjoining a thread turn serving to screw on
the protector is provided.
This pitch-free thread turn can be used to produce the
aforementioned operating state in which twisting of the shaper
relative to the lead and/or the cartridge leads in a first angle of
rotation section to axial displacement of the cartridge relative to
the lead in the direction away from the shaper, and in a second
angle of rotation section to axial displacement of the lead in the
direction towards the shaper.
If is further preferred according to the invention if the shaper is
a sharpener.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention
the axial displacement of the cartridge relative to the angle of
twisting in the first angle of rotation section is greater than the
axial displacement of the lead relative to the angle of rotation in
the second angle of rotation section.
In this way it is achieved that in the second angle of rotation
section assigned to the shaping of the working end of the lead the
feed rate of the lead resulting from the twisting of the shaper can
be particularly finely metered.
A particularly simple overall structure is produced according to
the invention by means of a coupling device which enables axial
displacement of the cartridge relative to the lead in the direction
away from the shaper, but blocks in the counter-direction.
It is further preferred according to the invention if the coupling
device is a catch device coupling the cartridge to a lead
plunger.
In particular if the shaper is accommodated within the protector,
under certain circumstances one can not see from the outside that
twisting of the protector, and so of the shaper, leads to shaping
of the lead.
Therefore, provision is made according to one particularly
preferred embodiment of the invention such that the pencil can
adopt an operating state in which twisting of the shaper relative
to the lead and/or the cartridge triggers an acoustic signal.
With this acoustic signal a user is made aware that the
aforementioned twisting of the protector leads to shaping of the
working end of the lead.
Finally, the invention preferably provides a collecting container
for waste resulting from the shaping, in particular in a
protector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following the invention is described more fully with further
details by means of a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference
to the attached drawings. These show as follows:
FIG. 1 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a pencil
according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 the same view as FIG. 1, but with the protector screwed
on,
FIG. 3 the same view as FIG. 2, but with the protector twisted by
30.degree.,
FIG. 4 the same view as FIG. 3, but with the protector twisted by a
further 150.degree.,
FIG. 5 the same view as FIG. 1, but with a sharpened lead,
FIG. 6 an isometric partial view of the pencil according to FIGS. 1
to 5,
FIG. 7 a further isometric partial view of the pencil according to
FIGS. 1 to 5, but with a protector, and
FIG. 8 yet another isometric partial view of the pencil according
to FIGS. 1 to 5, once again with a protector, but in a different
operating state to FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The pencil illustrated in the drawing comprises a shaft 10, a
cartridge 12 and a protector 14. The shaft 10 has a thread 16 with
a pitched thread turn 18 and a pitch-free thread turn 20. The
protector 14 has a corresponding thread element 22.
A lead 24 is introduced into the cartridge, preferably by pouring.
In order to move the lead 24 forwards within the cartridge 12 a
plunger 26 is used which can act on the lead 24 by means of a ball
28. The plunger 26 is toothed or in the form of a spindle (with an
external thread). It co-operates with two catch devices 30, 32.
The protector is provided with a shaper in the form of a sharpener
34. The sharpener 34 lies within the protector 14. Formed on the
protector 14 is a bar 36 which, in a way described in detail below,
interacts with a control curve 38 of the cartridge 12.
The function of the pencil shown in the drawings is as follows:
It is assumed that the lead 24 of the pencil has become blunt
through use, as shown in FIG. 1. In such a case, according to FIG.
2 the protector 14 is placed over the shaft 10 and screwed on by
twisting. FIGS. 2 and 7 show a state in which the thread element 22
is located in the pitch-free thread turn 20. The rotational
position here is such so that the bar 36 according to FIG. 7 lies
in a "valley" of the control curve 38. If the protector 14 is now
twisted further relative to the shaft 10, the bar 36 moves up a
"hill" of the control curve 38 until the operating state according
to FIGS. 3 and 8 is reached. In this operating state the bar 36 has
displaced the cartridge 12 in the direction away from the sharpener
34, i.e. to the left in FIGS. 1 to 5, because of its upward
movement along the control curve 38. This displacement takes place
against the elastic reset force of a spring 40. Since upon
displacement of the cartridge 12 to the left the catch device 32
does not block, but the plunger 26 is blocked by the catch device
30 from being displaced to the left, the cartridge 12 is displaced
to the left, but not the lead 24 which is held in position by the
plunger 26.
With further twisting of the protector 14 relative to the shaft 10
the bar 36 passes down again from the "hill" of the control curve
38. In this way the spring 40 can be slackened by displacing the
cartridge 12 back to the right, i.e. towards the sharpener 34.
Since in this case the catch device 32 blocks, but the catch device
30 does not block, the plunger 26, and so the lead 24 together with
the cartridge 12, moves to the right, i.e. towards the sharpener
34. Since at the same time the sharpener 34 is twisted together
with the protector 14 relative to the lead 24, the lead is
sharpened, as shown schematically in FIG. 4. The sharpening waste
is collected here in the interior 42 of the protector 14.
If the protector 14 is unscrewed from the shaft 10 again after
sharpening the lead 24, the state according to FIG. 5 is achieved
which corresponds to that of FIG. 1, but with a sharpened lead
24.
As shown by the explanations above, with the exemplary embodiment
of the invention shown in the drawing, the sharpener 34 is coupled
by the protector 14 and the bar of the latter 36 to the control
curve 38 of the cartridge 12. If the sharpener 34 is twisted by
turning the protector 14 relative to the lead 24 in order to
sharpen the latter, the bar 36 slides on the control curve 38. A
connection is thus produced between the sharpening by twisting the
sharpener 34 and the axial displacement of the cartridge 12 with
the lead 24 located within the latter.
Although this is not shown in the drawing, a further device can be
provided which produces a clicking noise or similar when the lead
24 is sharpened by twisting the protector 14 relative to the shaft
10 in order to indicate that sharpening is taking place. In this
way undesired sharpening due to continuous twisting of the
protector 14 relative to the shaft 10 can be prevented. The
aforementioned clicking noise can then always be heard, and this
makes one aware of the sharpening.
The features of the invention disclosed in the above description,
the claims and the drawings can be essential both individually and
in any combination in order to realise the invention in its
different embodiments.
* * * * *